The As will see Ohtani, the so-called Japanese Babe Ruth, and the rest of the Los Angeles Angels on opening day next season. The influx of high-priced talent into the American League West over the years also includes Robinson Cano, Albert Pujols and Justin Verlander.

The Ohtani signing prompted Bob Melvin to tell Beane: Ever since Ive been manager here, all these big names always go to the A.L. West.

But the biggest blockbuster deal of all is the trophy acquired by the Houston Astros last fall. Thats the piece that gives Beane the most pause at these Winter Meetings.

The World Champions are in our division, and I think they could be better next year, he said during a meeting with reporters.

I think its probably incumbent upon us to realize where we are and make sure we dont interrupt where were headed by doing something in terms of trading a young player that would only hurt us down the road.

Beane has spoken repeatedly over the past year or so about following the model set by the Cleveland Indians in the mid-1990s. That team loaded up on young talent, then locked up top players with long-term contracts to coincide with the opening of Jacobs Field.

But theres already a crack in the As desire to follow suit. The apparent ending of negotiations with the Peralta Community College District over a 13-acre site leaves the As without their top option for building a stadium.

Beane said Monday that the sudden unraveling of the ballpark deal will have no affect on how he will build his team.

No. I mean, were going to keep moving forward, he said. This doesnt really change it. Were going to do the same thing we set out on last year and keep going.

As fans are accustomed by now to seeing their team ship talent out of the A.L West. But Beane said Monday that there are players he considers untouchable in trade talks.

There are a couple of guys sitting on the corners there that you can start with, he said, referring to first baseman Matt Olson, 23, and third baseman Matt Chapman, 24, who are coming off terrific seasons.

There are a lot of guys, actually. Probably more than usual. I think were trending in the right direction.

 The As traded Joey Wendle to the Tampa Bay Rays for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Wendle, 27, the lone player acquired from Cleveland for Brandon Moss in 2014, spent most of last season in Triple-A Nashville. In eight games with Oakland, he went 4 for 13 with a home run.

 The As continue to have interest in St. Louis outfielder Stephen Piscotty, 26, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, with Adam Duvall and Stephen Souza Jr. also high on Oaklands radar. Piscotty, who grew up in Pleasanton and played at Stanford, had an off-year last season but in 2016 batted .273 with 22 homers, 85 RBI and an .800 OPS.

 As executive Grady Fuson won the Chief Bender Award on Sunday night, presented annually by minor league baseball to salute an individual with distinguished service in the area of player development. On Wednesday, Fuson will be presented with the West Coast Scout of the Year award.

The whole week has been Grady-palooza, Beane joked. Not since the Queen Jubilee has there been so much celebration.

Turning serious, Beane saluted Fusons years of success in identifying future stars  including pushing for the drafting of Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson and Barry Zito.